Poolside Zombies at Sunrise

The pool looked like a giant, glowing blue jewel under the string lights. Maya stood at the edge, clutching her red solo cup like it was a lifeline. This was it—the first real party of sophomore year, and she was already regretting everything.

"You good?" Liam asked, dripping pool water as he climbed out. His hair was plastered to his forehead in that way that somehow looked effortlessly hot.

"Yeah, just... processing." Maya took a sip of her lukewarm soda. Her phone buzzed in her pocket—her mom checking in, as usual. Sometimes she felt like a zombie moving through her life, everyone else's expectations running on a loop in her brain.

Liam laughed, splashing water toward her. "You're overthinking again. I can see it."

Maya's face burned. Because of course he noticed. Liam, who she'd been secretly crushing on since seventh grade, who she'd spent half the summer running into at the most awkward moments—literally running, like that time she'd crashed into him at the grocery store while sprinting for the last pack of her favorite gum.

"I'm not—" she started, but then someone cannonballed into the pool, sending a wave of water over both of them.

Maya shrieked as the cool water soaked her clothes. "Oh my GOD, Jake!"

"Join us!" Jake yelled, surfacing like a particularly enthusiastic dolphin.

Liam grabbed Maya's hand. His skin was warm against her cold, wet arm. "Come on."

"I—"

"You're not gonna think your way through this one." His smile made her stomach do that weird flutter thing. "Sometimes you just gotta jump."

The water was terrifying and amazing and completely different from the carefully calculated risks she usually took. Maya took a breath, squeezed Liam's hand, and let herself fall into the deep end.

Later, wrapped in a towel and watching the sunrise, Maya realized she didn't feel like a zombie anymore. She felt alive. And Liam's hand was still warm in hers.